2 Kings 14

In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.

In the second year of the reign of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, over Israel, Amaziah, son of Joash, became king of Judah.

He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

At the tender age of 25, he ascended to the throne, ruling Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother, Jehoaddan, a woman of Jerusalem, watched with pride.

And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.

He acted rightly in the eyes of God, but not in the same manner as his ancestor David. Instead, he followed the path of his father Joash.

Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.

Despite this, the sacred hills remained untouched. The people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.

And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.

Once he secured his reign, he avenged his father's death by executing the servants who had murdered him.

But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

He didn't put the killers' children to death, following the law of Moses, where the Lord commanded: Parents must not be put to death for their children, nor children for their parents; each person is to be put to death for their own sin.

He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.

In the salt-filled valley of Edom, he bravely defeated ten thousand men. He conquered Selah through battle and renamed it Joktheel, a name it still holds today.

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the grandson of Jehu and king of Israel, with a challenge: "Come, let's meet face to face in battle."

And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

King Jehoash of Israel sent this reply to King Amaziah of Judah: "A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' Then a wild beast in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle."

Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

You've triumphed over Edom and it's made you proud. Enjoy your victory and stay home. Why risk harm and potential defeat by interfering further, potentially bringing down not just you, but Judah too?

But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

Despite pleas, Amaziah remained deaf to reason. So, Jehoash, the King of Israel, confronted him. Their eyes met in a tense standoff at Bethshemesh, a city within Amaziah's own kingdom of Judah.

And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.

Judah suffered defeat against Israel, causing every man to retreat in fear to their homes.

And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

Jehoash, the king of Israel, captured Amaziah, the king of Judah, in Bethshemesh. Filled with determination, he marched to Jerusalem, his heart heavy with purpose. There, he tore down a significant portion of Jerusalem's wall, from Ephraim's gate to the corner gate, a distance of four hundred cubits. His actions echoed with the sound of crumbling stones, a testament to his power and resolve.

And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

He seized every piece of gold and silver, every sacred item from the Lord's house and the king's treasury, even taking hostages, before heading back to Samaria, his heart heavy with the weight of his actions.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Isn't the rest of Jehoash's story, his strength, and his battle with King Amaziah of Judah recorded in the history book of Israel's kings?

And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

Jehoash joined his ancestors in eternal rest, laid to peace in Samaria among Israel's past kings. His son, Jeroboam, took the throne in his absence.

And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.

After the passing of Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz, the king of Israel, Amaziah, son of Joash and king of Judah, continued to live for another fifteen years.

And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Aren't all of Amaziah's deeds recorded in the history book of Judah's kings?

Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.

In Jerusalem, they plotted against him, forcing him to escape to Lachish. Yet, they pursued him there and tragically, they ended his life.

And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.

They carried him on horseback, his final journey. He was laid to rest in Jerusalem, alongside his ancestors, in the heart of the city of David.

And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

The people of Judah, with hearts full of hope, crowned the young 16-year-old Azariah as their king, succeeding his father Amaziah.

He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

After his father, King Amaziah, had joined his ancestors in rest, Azariah rebuilt Elath, returning it to Judah.

In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Amaziah, Joash's son, over Judah, Jeroboam, son of Joash king of Israel, started his reign in Samaria. His reign lasted forty-one years.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

He acted wickedly, displeasing God greatly. He didn't turn away from the sinful ways of Jeroboam, Nebat's son, who led Israel into sin.

He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.

Jeroboam restored Israel's borders, stretching from Hamath to the sea of the plain, just as the God of Israel had promised. This promise was delivered through His faithful servant, the prophet Jonah, son of Amittai, from Gathhepher.

For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.

The LORD deeply felt Israel's suffering, it was intensely painful. Israel was left without refuge, without anyone remaining, without any support.

And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

The Lord didn't plan to erase Israel's name from existence. Instead, He chose to rescue them through Jeroboam, Joash's son.

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Isn't the rest of Jeroboam's story, his deeds, his strength, his battles, and his reclaiming of Damascus and Hamath for Israel from Judah, all documented in the Israelite kings' chronicles?

And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.

Jeroboam joined his ancestors in eternal rest, alongside the past kings of Israel. His son, Zachariah, took up the mantle and ruled in his place.